Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday told Mumbaikars there will be waterlogging this year, and that they should ‘bear with it’.
There was a discussion on monsoon preparedness at the standing committee meeting where the administration listed the challenges of preventing waterlogging at Hindmata junction. It claimed that work is under way but has not been completed, leading to uproar. Meanwhile, the committee finally appointed a contractor for Irla pumping station.
The discussion started over a proposal to remove silt in minor nullahs. Leader of Opposition Ravi Raja sought a debate on the monsoon preparedness. He also highlighted the annual waterlogging at Hindmata junction. The civic administration said the existing British-era box drain is being replaced by a bigger box drain to reduce the water-receding time.
V.H. Khandkar, deputy chief engineer, storm water drains, said, “The flooding situation has improved. In the past, there would be waist deep water at Hindmata. Now there is only ankle-deep water. We are working on the problem.”
But the explanation did not go down well with the opposition.
Mr. Raja said, “Why was the work started so late when the administration knows this problem has been there since time immemorial? How dare they say Mumbaikars will suffer?”
Officials told the committee that Mumbaikars will have to ‘adjust a little’.
SP corporator Rais Shaikh said, “How can the administration ask citizens to adjust during monsoon? Are they giving a disclaimer even before monsoon set in?”
The BMC is replacing underground drains at Hindmata to double their water-carrying capacity from 25 mm to 50 mm. The work includes widening of the 800-metre-long storm water drain from 1.5x1.2 metre to 3x1.5 metre. The cost of the widening is ₹11.2 crore.
Additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal said, “The contract for replacing this drain has already been allotted. But the work period is 18 months. What needs to be noted that the most chronic spots — Hindmata junction and Madkebuva Chowk — have been addressed. We have completed work on almost a 250-metre portion.”
